


never grow up

by beekathony



Category: Bridgerton (TV), Bridgerton Series - Julia Quinn
Genre: Charlotte's first ball, F/M, anthony is a wreck, as usual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-14 23:26:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29304183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beekathony/pseuds/beekathony
Summary: Anthony Bridgerton is a nervous wreck on the night of Charlotte's first ball of the London season. He can't quite believe his daughter has grown up. Kate comforts him in the study.
Relationships: Anthony Bridgerton/Kate Sheffield
Comments: 29
Kudos: 188





	never grow up

Kate had just put the last diamond encrusted pin into Charlotte’s coiffure. It had been handed down from Violet, as tonight was Charlotte Bridgerton’s first ball. Of course, she had attended several before, but as a young girl stepping on her father’s toes. Now, she was coming out in her very first London season. Kate was a ball of nervous energy, wondering if they might delay another year.

Standing up to inspect her appearance in the full length mirror, Charlotte beamed. Her dress had been delivered just that morning from the modiste. It was a pale lavender, with short sleeves and jewels covering the material. She absolutely shined. Kate could hardly believe she had a daughter that was old enough to participate in a London season. It felt like just yesterday that she and her own sister came to London for the very reason of attracting a husband.

Speaking of husbands…

“You look beautiful, darling,” Kate hugged her daughter tightly, afraid to let go.

“Thank you mama,” Charlotte smiled and twirled the bottom of her dress. “Will we leave soon for the Sinclair’s ball?”

Kate nodded, and checked the clock on the mantel. “Yes, I’m sure your father will want to be on time. Put your shoes on and I’ll go check on him.”

“Make sure he’s not planning on embarrassing me tonight,” Charlotte called out after her mother.

Anthony had been worrying about this ball for weeks now. In all honesty, years. He kept his thoughts on the matter to himself… most of the time. Whenever Kate had mentioned the Sinclair ball just last week, Anthony gave her a wide eyed look and she promptly changed the subject.

As Kate walked through the house to find her husband, she wondered what sort of mood he would be in tonight.

Her hand pushed open the door to his study, and she found him standing with one arm braced on the mantel, his other hand holding an empty glass.

“A bit of liquid courage for tonight?”

Anthony turned, surprised at her voice. His eyes were red and nearly bloodshot.

“Oh, Anthony,” Kate rushed to him, taking his face in her hands. “I didn’t realize you were so concerned about tonight.”

“It’s nothing,” he sniffed, trying to hide the fact that he had been crying moments earlier.

“It most certainly is not nothing,” Kate sighed, smoothing her fingers over his creased brow. She reached for his handkerchief lying on the desk, offering it to him. He took it, quickly dabbing at his eyes.

“I was fine not five minutes ago,” Anthony shook his head, and tucked the handkerchief into his pocket. “Then I thought about putting Charlotte on my shoulders and taking her for hikes in the country. She was so small, so… so innocent.”

Kate felt her own lips tremble, knowing exactly what he was feeling. It was hard to come to terms with the passing of time. For Anthony, time had always been a constant worry, niggling at the back of his mind, reminding him that life was not always certain.

“She is still your little girl,” Kate wiped away a fallen tear on his cheek with the pad of her thumb. “She has always been yours, from the moment you two laid eyes on each other. Charlotte had you wrapped around her little finger before you could blink.”

“That’s true,” Anthony let out a choked laugh, wiping another tear away. Her husband didn’t cry often, and so Kate was treading on unfamiliar territory. Anthony hadn’t been this emotional as their two sons had entered the London season years ago, but this was their eldest daughter - their baby girl. Thank God Mary wouldn’t be coming out for at least three or four more years.

“I just wish,” he sniffed, sliding one arm around her waist. “I wish they didn’t have to grow up so fast.”

“I wish that too,” Kate leaned into him, staring at the fire. She thought it best not to look at him, leaving him to cry if he needed to. “I would give anything to have them running around under our feet, and making messes in the nursery.”

“I don’t know how my mother, and my father for that matter, managed to watch eight children grow up. To watch them become their own person and eventually leave the protection you give them,” Anthony sighed, squeezing her side. “What if Charlotte finds a suitable match this season, her first?”

Kate had considered this very question weeks ago as Charlotte went in for her first dress fitting. She was a beautiful girl, as well as charming, kind and incredibly witty. There was no doubt in Kate’s mind that she would attract many suitors.

“If she takes a liking to someone, then they still have to ask your permission,” Kate assured him. “She’s a Bridgerton after all. There’s a lot of family members a man will have to earn the approval of before he can even consider getting down on knee.”

“Oh God,” Anthony scowled. “The thought of an abominable rake trying to woo our daughter is going to make me ill.”

“You were once an abominable rake,” Kate grinned up at him, pinching his arm lightly. “And I think you turned out to be a perfectly suitable husband and father.”

“Yes, but,” Anthony turned, pulling her body against his chest. “I took liberties with you if you recall. Kissing you here in this very study. Again in the gardens of Aubrey Hall, and not to mention having my way with you just before our wedding.”

“Ahh, I do recall you pulling me onto your lap and rearranging my dress,” Kate smirked as she hooked both hands around his back, clasping them together. “But I am sure Charlotte is more level-headed than I was. I fell for your charms, and that devilish smile.”

“If our daughter is anything like you,” Anthony kissed her gently. “And I know for a fact that she is, then she will be a nightmare to any young man pursuing her tonight. I overheard her arguing with Miles this morning at the breakfast table. She mentioned something about stepping on the toes of any man who did not have a clean reputation.”

Kate laughed, hearing her own words ring in her head. She had been just like Charlotte, wanting to steer clear of any and all rakes. But in the end, she married one of London’s most notorious rakes, and fell in love with him to boot.

“I think you just talked yourself down,” Kate kissed the tip of his nose. “We have nothing to worry about when it comes to Charlotte. I believe any suitor that can handle her wit and biting comments will be worthy of her love.”

“I suppose you’re right, my dear wife,” Anthony gathered her closer, cupping her cheek. “But it does not make it any easier to watch her leave us. She is now one step closer to moving out from under our roof.”

“Then we’d better make sure we sabotage any interaction she has with the opposite sex tonight,” Kate laughed. “Shall we send in Edmund or Miles to ward off the men? Isn’t that what you did with your younger sisters?”

Anthony scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Please, Kate. I was only looking after their best interests. They knew not of the intentions behind those men, absolute scoundrels they were.”

Tugging on the hair at his neck, Kate pulled him in for a kiss, still laughing.

“I now fear for any man tonight at the Sinclair ball.”

“As do I,” Anthony agreed.

Anthony slid his hand to Kate’s waist, then lifted one of her arms into the air as if to dance.

“May I have the first dance, Lady Bridgerton?” He bowed his head.

“You may,” Kate grinned as he spun them slowly around the room.

Suddenly, Kate felt that she was transported to another time. Dancing in Anthony’s arms for the first time at her first season. Stepping on his toes, on purpose and on accident. Knowing that she loved him from the first moment he held her in his arms. Dancing with her husband was one of her greatest joys. Anthony had the ability to make her feel like the only woman in the room, never taking his eyes off of her.

Light filled the room as the study door opened and Charlotte stood in the entrance.

“Dancing again?” She crossed her arms over her chest.

Anthony smiled at his daughter, but didn’t stop spinning them around.

“Just practicing for tonight my dear,” Kate said. “Are you ready to leave then?”

“Yes, I thought we would leave five minutes ago, but now I see why not,” Charlotte couldn’t help but smile. It was obvious to anyone who laid eyes on her parents that they were madly in love.

Anthony spun Kate around one final time before kissing her and bowing. He then turned to Charlotte, his eyes filling anew with fresh tears.

“You are gorgeous,” he grabbed Kate’s hand, squeezing it tight. “Anyone would be lucky to have the honor of dancing with you.”

“Father,” Charlotte blushed, waving her hand at him.

“We should head off,” Anthony nodded and lead both of his ladies out the door.

Edmund and Miles would be arriving separately to the ball, and Kate hoped that perhaps this was the year that one of her sons would finally settle with a wife. A mother could dream.

Mary, their youngest was waiting at the stairs, visibly eager to attend with the rest of her family. Instead, she would stay here at Bridgerton House as the rest of her younger cousins who were not out in society yet joined her.

“You look so lovely, Lottie,” Mary smiled, touching the sleeves of Charlotte’s dress.

“And you will look just as lovely at your very first ball,” Anthony kissed her cheek. “In about twenty years!”

“Father!” Mary shouted, rolling her eyes. “Mother promised it would be in three years time.”

Anthony shot Kate a look and she held up her hands.

“Four,” Kate corrected. “Maybe five,” she winked Mary, mouthing the word three.

The carriage rolled up to the front of the house, and footmen helped Kate and Charlotte in. The night was full of possibilities, and Kate was rather excited at the prospect of her own daughter being the talk of the ball. Extremely nervous, and anxious and all other worrisome feelings as well, but excited nonetheless.

As they arrived at Sinclair House, Anthony stepped out of the carriage and took Charlotte’s arm.

“Will you humor your old father and save a dance for me later this evening?”

“Of course, papa,” Charlotte stood on her toes and placed a small kiss to his cheek.

Kate smiled as she saw Anthony take a deep breath and then lead his daughter towards the first of many grand balls.

**Author's Note:**

> I get so emotional thinking about Anthony being a father, and he would most definitely be freaking out about Charlotte attending her first ball of the season!


End file.
